A farmer plants a bamboo seed in the ground.

He waters it every day for the first year, but nothing seems to happen.

The same happens in the second, third, and fourth years—nothing visible grows above ground. However, the bamboo is developing a strong root system beneath the surface.

Finally, in the fifth year, the bamboo shoots up to 90 feet in just six weeks.

How long will it take to reach my vision?

There have been many times in my life when I have planted a seed, and as I’m watering it for the first time, I see the fully grown result in my mind.

That vision in my head feels completely real, and I don’t understand why it hasn’t happened yet.

• Why does it take so long to design it?
• Why can’t you build it faster?
• Why don’t clients buy it the first (or second) time I show it to them…

Are there seeds you are watering that haven’t grown yet?

It can be tricky to know whether to keep nurturing an idea or let it go. How do we know if the time we spend on it is strengthening the idea or just pouring more water on a dead seed?

• Is your vision becoming clearer as you learn more, or is it becoming overcomplicated and blurry as you accumulate more information?
• Do you still have the same enthusiasm and drive to pursue it?
• Is the problem you are trying to solve becoming more apparent?
• Have you tackled the most difficult or risky parts of the problem first? What one thing makes the whole idea fall apart if it doesn’t work? Work on that!

“Good things take time, as they should. We shouldn’t expect good things to happen overnight. Actually, getting something too easily or too soon can cheapen the outcome.” ~ John Wooden

Thanks, Coach Wooden, I needed that.